LOOTING - IT is amazing to see looters on TV in Iraq where thieves could get their hands chopped off for stealing. So why not take a leaf out of the British law? A lonely, single man, Tony Martin, was in his own house when a gang of well-known criminals
Darlington Spraire Lasses THE Under-12s have qualified for the five-a-side National Association of Clubs for Young People finals. Spraire won two games, beating Consett 3-1 and Blaydon 7-0 while they drew 0-0 against both Boldon and Lumley. Katie McTague
A TAXI driver who scooped £14.2m on the National Lottery last night urged the son he last saw six years ago to get in touch - and promised to make him a millionaire too. Bob Frazer, from Newcastle, lost contact with his son, Alan, but believes he is living
Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire Championship: Bedale's foundations for success in winning the First Division Championship over Harrogate Squash were built on their regulars. The return of Phil Martin from university provided just the boost needed to improve
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) is thought to be a corona virus, a family of viruses well known as a cause of the common cold, which has mutated to become more dangerous to humans. The virus first appeared in China's Guangdong province in November
Poverina took a big step to the title with a 3-0 victory over Redcar Glazing and a single point at home to Lingdale will give them the title. Goals from John Anderson, John Pinchbeck and Richie English proved too much for a resilient Redcar Glazing. Jack
A trio of cup finals this week brought an end to the Durham League basketball season. The best game of the week also had the closest finish as Nissan beat Belmont Reds 65-64 in the Mens Division One Final. Steven Graham opened the Belmont scoring with
THE UK's sexiest girl next door was philosophical yesterday after missing out in an international competition run by the magazine which plucked her from obscurity. Tanya Robinson is already a pin-up across Britain after her victory in FHM magazine's High
A piece of Captain Cook memorabilia - the HMS Resolution table - goes up for sale in Sydney, Australia, at the end of this month. The Regency ceremonial library table, crafted in London about 1810, is inlaid with oak from Cook's last ship, the Resolution
A TEESSIDE town is acting as host to a conference on cleaner transport. Middlesbrough, poised to pioneer the use of hydrogen fuel cells, is the venue of a seminar organised by the Alternative Traffic in Towns project. The event, at the Riverside Stadium
ELECTION officials are working flat out to ensure 600 first time voters wiped off computer records are given the chance to vote. A computer error at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council means voters whose 18th birthdays fall between November 30, 2002
More than 500 square metres of grassland were alight yesterday. Firefighters were called to Pithouse Lane, in Medomsley, near Consett, County Durham, at about 2pm, to deal with the blaze.
FUTURE stars can look forward to the opening of a performing arts school this weekend. Stagecoach, which supports The Northern Echo's Positive Young People Awards, is opening its doors at Bishop Barrington School, Bishop Auckland, and will be holding
AN AMATEUR dramatic group is promising to dazzle audiences with its production of a famous Broadway musical. CBS Amateur Players Society is staging the musical comedy Guys and Dolls at the Empire Theatre, Consett, from Monday to Saturday, May 3, at 7.15pm
Abattoir maintenance engineer, Thirsk. £8ph plus overtime, 48hrs pw, Mon-Fri, plus weekend overtime. Must be multi-skilled, preferably with mechanical and electrical experience. Fork lift truck licence an advantage. Ref: NOE 18893. Pot washer, Northallerton
A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged with the rape of a South Shields woman 11 years ago. Stanley Frederick Riches, 29, was arrested in Edinburgh, where he is now living, following an extensive Northumbria Police operation. He was arrested after
CAMPAIGNERS who claim their human rights were breached when they were banned from a town centre are about to learn if their appeal has succeeded. The Washington First Forum was set up to oppose plans by the City of Sunderland College to build a further
NO STONE is being left unturned in a town's Britain in Bloom bid. This year, Saltburn is a national finalist in the coastal resort category and hundreds of volunteers are helping with the effort. The latest improvement is the creation of a new rockery
AN inspector's decision to block a bid for new facilities for a playgroup has been welcomed by the Open Spaces Society, which opposed it. Glaisdale Playgroup wanted North Yorkshire National Park authority's permission to construct a classroom, car park
YOUNGSTERS burned off the extra calories from Easter at an athletics camp yesterday. The three-day camp, which runs until tomorrow at Gateshead International Stadium, was organised by Gateshead Harriers in conjunction with Gateshead Council. Now in its
Inquest opened and adjourned AN inquest into the death of a teenager who died after he fell from a motorbike was opened and adjourned yesterday. The family of Scott Spayne, 17, of Wrensfield Road, Stockton, gave evidence of identification to Teesside
POP music fans have been voting on-line for who they want to see in a music festival line up. About 100 groups and singers will take part in the fourth Middlesbrough Music Live event on Bank Holiday Monday, May 26. While Danish duo Junior Senior have
A SERVICE designed to give unemployed people in rural areas the opportunity to apply for jobs has been launched. The programme will offer job-seekers the chance to get advice and support from their local library instead of having to travel to a JobCentre
A SHOPPING centre has gone continental, with a concertina-playing French busker. The cross-channel accent of Pierre, the strolling street musician is as false as the strings of onions and garlic suspended from his belt, and his impossible moustache. But
A YOUNG woodworker from the region is to represent the UK in the 37th Worldskills competition in Switzerland. Lee Fawcett, of Leyburn, North Yorkshire, will compete in the joinery section of the competition this summer. The 21-year-old has been involved
TWO call centre workers have been honoured with industry awards. Mark Willett, 27, of Cranwell Grove, Thornaby, who works at recently established Teesside business OC5, won the UK Support Manager of the Year award at the Call Centre Management Association
SUNDERLAND midfielder Jonjo Dickman could make a dramatic full debut in Saturday's Wear-Tyne derby as Mick McCarthy tackles an injury crisis. Dickman, 21, is on standby after Julio Arca limped out of Monday's defeat at Manchester City with bruised shins
A WEDDING guest, whose car broke down on the way home, was found to be over the drink drive limit, a court heard yesterday. Kim Baglay, 45, of Egerton Close, in Stockton, pleaded guilty to drink driving on April 13. The court heard that police stopped
A WEBSITE helping people in the North-East delve into local history has been such a success that the project is being extended. The Government-funded National Grid for Learning's local history trail has been giving hints on how to use the Internet to
IT could still be all change on the buses in Richmond, despite opposition to plans to relocate stops on the Market Place. A revamp of the town's roads originally included moving the bus bays from the town centre to Queen's Road. Traders with shops nearby
The title race is set for an exciting finish after Brandon beat West Auckland 2-0 on Tuesday night. The result put Brandon seven points clear of Bedlington, with just one game to play - at Bedlington tomorrow. Brandon will need a draw for the title, while
Langhaurgh and Easington will meet in the Wanless McConnell Cup Final after their semi-final victories this week. Langbaurgh found their task the harder when they had to come from behind to beat Frankland 2-1. Keith Smith put Frankland in front in the
COUNCIL tenants in Richmondshire should see more investment in their homes during the next few years thanks to an improvement project introduced by the local authority. A seven-year plan has been drawn up in response to a Government directive that all
COMMUNITY groups across the county are to benefit from the latest round of grants announced by the National Lottery's Awards For All scheme. To qualify, causes must extend access or participation in the community, or improve skills, creativity or quality
ORGANISERS are forecasting another bumper attendance at a flower show which opens tomorrow. Harrogate Spring Flower Show, at the Great Yorkshire Showground, will run until Sunday. Show president John Lyles said roadways have been built in the car parks
The Real Winona Ryder (C4) Desert Darlings (C4) SHE came, she stole, she left" was how a witness summed up two-time Oscar nominee Winona Ryder's shoplifting spree in Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills in December 2001. Her trial provided endless
A STANDARDS committee has found in favour of a campaigner fighting for action to be taken about noise from Croft motor racing circuit. Derek Watson, who lives close to the circuit, complained to Richmondshire District Council standards committee that
HORDEN Colliery Welfare have gone nearly 20 years without success, but things are changing for the better at the Albany Northern League club. The last time Horden lifted any sort of silverware was in 1984 when they succeeded in the Dryboroughs League
A BUSINESSMAN who designed an inventive amphibious "tourist bus" has scooped an award. Staindrop-based David Royle, who also runs a vintage car restoration business, set up Covelink Marine to develop his invention, which he has been working on for the
A NEW childcare service in Darlington which provides weekend, out-of-school and holiday care is expanding with the opening of a second outlet. The Funtime Childcare Centre, which was set up with the help of Darlington Business Venture, is opening a centre
HEART DISEASE: I WAS disappointed by your article on Crestor, a "super statin" which you say would save more people from dying from heart disease if only their GPs knew about it (Echo, Apr 15). The article is potentially misleading and does not support
Chance to give views at forum Residents and organisations are invited to a meeting of the Coastal Area Forum, at Seaton Holme, Easington Village, on Wednesday, May 28, from 6pm. Members of the district, parish and county councils will be available to
IN real-life they were among James Herriot's most engaging customers; endearing and infuriating in almost equal measure. The well-to-do Mrs Pumphrey and her impossibly cosseted pet Tricki-Woo were among the public's favourite characters in the books and
BRITISH Airways will resume services to Kuwait today following the suspension of flights last month. BA will operate three times a week from London to Kuwait via Cyprus, rather daily and direct. Flights between London and Kuwait were suspended on March
DURHAM are banking on the international pace partnership of Javagal Srinath and Stephen Harmison to unsettle Somerset on their batsman-friendly strip at Taunton over the next four days. Srinath, who at 33 has been playing Test cricket for India for 12
Failure to put away their scoring chances in recent weeks has led to a temporary decline in Billingham CGS's fortunes causing them to fall away in the championship race but are still very much concerned in the runners-up spot. Last Saturday a lack of
The Real Winona Ryder (C4); Desert Darlings (C4) "SHE came, she stole, she left" was how a witness summed up two-time Oscar nominee Winona Ryder's shoplifting spree in Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills in December 2001. Her trial provided endless
A GROUP of teenagers is helping transform the arts scene in their area - and also map out its future. The youngsters are from the Jackass Youth Theatre Company, which was set up in the Crook and Willington area of County Durham 18 months ago. Their project
COUNCIL chiefs in Hambleton are getting tough on householders who send contaminated waste to compost sites. They have been conducting spot checks after several loads of green waste containing plastic sacks and other rubbish were nearly dumped. The local
ELEVEN men in the North-East have been charged as part of a nationwide police crackdown on child pornography. The arrests were made under Operation Ore, the biggest-ever investigation into Internet paedophilia by British police. The inquiry began after
Annandale Hotel v Goldsborough: The two teams battled out a close fought game with both sides struggling to play passing football on a dreadful surface. Goldsborough pushed forward early on but found Bliwert in the Annandale goal in fine form on his return
THE prospect of children being turned away from classes by teachers protesting about their workload loomed yesterday despite claims by leaders of the largest classroom union that they had seen off the threat by more left-wing members. NUT general secretary
Missing boy was crushed A 12-YEAR-OLD boy found dead in the yard of an industrial firm was crushed by a one-and-a-half tonne bag. Humberside Police said they were treating the death of Sam Fewster as an accident and were not looking for anyone else in
Walkers are invited to take part in the Durham Town Trail next month. There will be about 20 churches and buildings to visit, as well as rickshaw rides on Palace Green, during the tour, on Sunday, May 11, from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Refreshments will be served
ASIA reported 17 more Sars deaths yesterday as Beijing officials were ordered to step up efforts to fight the virus and Hong Kong school pupils went back to class wearing surgical masks after a three-week shutdown. The death toll rose to 235 worldwide
OOOH yes please. I'd love to have given up maths. Why is a quadratic equation? What is trigonometry for? How do you avoid a hungry hypotenuse? Amazingly, I passed O level maths. Just. Could even still prove Pythagoras, if really pushed. But why? My life
US soldiers trying to stop looting in Baghdad ran into another cache of cash yesterday - more than £380m in $100 bills hidden behind a false wall. Using forklift trucks to handle the tightly-wrapped packets of new bills, soldiers from the 3rd Infantry
TEARS were shed yesterday at the funeral of a Royal Marine who grew up in Guisborough and died fighting in the Gulf. Chris Maddison was described by his commanding officer as 'a tremendous man who gave everything in everything he did.' After a moving
Horden, the winners of the Durham Super League, and Shildon, the runners-up, travelled to Great Yarmouth to take part in the National Inter-League Finals. In the round-robin stage, Horden went two-down against Chalk Farm, London but then staged a great
When Bedlington Terriers won the first of five successive Northern League titles in 1997-98, Brandon United finished third bottom of the second division. A dozen or so miles to the north, Kenny Lindoe was managing Annfield Plain to the Wearside League
SCIENCE lessons are to be given a facelift thanks to a major building investment. Youngsters will be able to use the new, state-of-the art science laboratories at Bedale High School when they return after the Easter holidays. The purpose-built labs, which
REHEARSALS are nearing an end for Northallerton Operatic Society's latest production. Sing Something Seasonal opens at the Hambleton Forum, Northallerton, on Tuesday, April 29, and runs Wednesday, April 30, Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, at 7.30pm
Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers: Six Harriers undertook the journey to London to take part in this year's London Marathon where conditions were dry and mostly still, though rather hot for running. A minute's silence to remember Christopher Brasher was held
HEART DISEASE I WAS disappointed by your article on Crestor, a "super statin" which you say would save more people from dying from heart disease if only their GPs knew about it (Echo, Apr 15). The article is potentially misleading and does not support
Spennymoor assistant manager Jason Ainsley described Tuesday night's win at Workington as "unbelievable." Moors won 2-1 in Cumbria to go second in the table, and if results go their way, they could be promoted at the weekend. Ainsley said: "Considering
A NEW childcare service in Darlington which provides weekend, out-of-school and holiday care is expanding with the opening of a second outlet. The Funtime Childcare Centre, which was set up with the help of Darlington Business Venture, is opening a centre
A BUSINESSMAN who designed an inventive amphibious "tourist bus" has scooped an award. Staindrop-based David Royle, who also runs a vintage car restoration business, set up Covelink Marine to develop his invention, which he has been working on for the
Soapland is a place where the unexpected happens, but few things could be more unlikely than Tricia Dingle being transformed into a Bollywood movie star. The Woolpack's dim barmaid, who's always seemed a few bottles short of a crate, signs up as an extra
A TEENAGER was attacked and beaten by two muggers who escaped with just 60p and a cigarette lighter. The 18-year-old victim was left with his front teeth broken, a deep cut above his eye and injuries to his arm and face after the ordeal, which took place
CELEBRATIONS will get under way in Heighington at the weekend to mark St George's Day. A medieval tournament, a tug o'war and live entertainment are among the activities that will be held on the village green on Saturday afternoon. A marquee will be erected
A NEW initiative, which aims to channel young people's energy into positive projects, is proving both popular and successful. Richmond YMCA was given a grant from the Local Network Fund for Children and Young People to launch Richmond Youth Focus. The
Crook and District The club had three representatives at the London Marathon. Gery Hehir ran 5 minutes quicker than his PB by finishing in 3hrs 16mins 28 secs.; Colin Everson ran 3:17:20 and Martin Lowrie finished in 3:24:10. In the London mini-marathon
Generations to come will look at the last eighteen months or so with amazement. The recent period, sandwiched between the outrage on the World Trade Centre and the war in Iraq, has been staggering in its intensity and its effect on all of our lives. I
ORGANISERS are forecasting another bumper attendance at a flower show which opens tomorrow. Harrogate Spring Flower Show, at the Great Yorkshire Showground, will run until Sunday. Show president John Lyles said roadways have been built in the car parks
Redcar Racecourse opens its gates on Thursday, May 1 for the first day of its Flat-racing season. The course's catering outlets will offer their usual selection of food at half price. Manny Bernstein Bookmakers are sponsoring the day.
SEDGEFIELD Borough Council's new kerbside recycling scheme aims to significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. In partnership with Durham County, Durham City and Chester-le-Street District Councils, Sedgefield has secured Government support
CAMPAIGNERS have fired the opening shots in their bid to stop further development of a controversial football academy. A public inquiry began yesterday into Sunderland AFC's plans to expand its Academy of Light on greenbelt land at Whitburn Moor, near
FRUSTRATED residents have petitioned councillors claiming traffic calming measures outside their homes have failed. People living in the Adelaide Bank area of Shildon have branded recent traffic calming measures near the top of the bank a joke. One person
A QUESTIONNAIRE has been distributed to patients in Sedgefield borough asking how they think their health services can be improved. Health officials have promised they will take on board the comments and act on the replies. The questionnaire has been
A MAN pleaded guilty at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday to damaging a greenhouse. Phillip McFarland, 18, of Cotherstone Drive, Darlington admitted causing the damage on March 21 The court heard that the owner of the greenhouse was looking out
A NINE-year-old boy suffered a terrifying ordeal when three teenagers mugged him at knife-point. Jack Tenwick, a pupil at Dodmire Junior School in Darlington, was threatened by the gang as he cycled along the Black Path, off Rydal Road, close to the school
FIRE engines are being fitted with closed-circuit television cameras in an attempt to deter yobs who attack firefighters. The first camera has already been installed to a front-line fire engine in Middlesbrough, and other cameras are to be fitted to engines
Both Colburn Town teams went head-to-head with the B team coming out victors. Team Mean Machine again came back from two goals behind to snatch a draw. FC Spoons and Upex fought a cracking end-to-end encounter and Wathgill Wanderers and McDees were both
IN A surprise move, France last night proposed immediately suspending UN sanctions that target Iraqi civilians. It was an important step towards the Anglo-American goal of ending trade embargoes that have crippled the country's economy. Last week, President
A PASSER-BY leapt into action when he witnessed an elderly woman being robbed in the street, Teesside Crown Court heard. Keith Galloway gave chase catching the 26-year-old female robber who was later arrested by police. Yesterday, Faith Oliver, of St
MIDDLESBROUGH Bears speedway team have returned to competitive action for the first time in seven years. Despite losing their Cleveland Park base to redevelopment in 1996, a group of enthusiasts have kept the club going via a website featuring the history
BARGAIN hunters with a sweet tooth are in for a treat tomorrow, when a mini-mountain of chocolate goes under the hammer at a North-East saleroom. Bishop Auckland auctioneer Denis Edkins is selling off the stock of two upmarket confectioners and expects
A JOBS finder says new owners for a service company on Teesside will strengthen the area's position as a world class centre. Neil Etherington, chief executive of the Tees Valley Development Company (TVDC), says Singapore-based SembCorp Utilities acquisition
POLICE have released an e-fit of the man who terrorised an Iranian family at knifepoint. The robber was one of a gang of three who held up an Iranian man, his pregnant wife and young child in Redcar on Friday night. The gang ran off with a small amount
Caretaker boss Mick Tait is confident of landing loan star Tom Newey on a permanent basis but admitted any deal for the winger is still far from done. The Leeds youngster has impressed since joining Darlington on loan last month and Tait was quick to
Anne Frank (C4) THE reason that the story of Anne Frank has been dramatised so often is a simple one - it remains a powerful and moving story no matter how many times it's related. The true story of the Jewish families who hid in an attic from the occupying
Leading anti-war Labour MP George Galloway was last night fighting to save his political career after claims he was secretly in the pay of Saddam Hussein's regime. Mr Galloway said he intended to sue over allegations he received at least £375,000 a year
THERE was a time when going on a television game show provided the chance to win a cuddly toy, a toaster, pots and pans, and other assorted items small enough to fit on a conveyor belt. Then came the chance to win a holiday or even a car. Now, the prize
During Sunday's FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Sheffield United referee, Graham Poll, created quite a bit of controversy. He accidentally prevented a Sheff. United player from intercepting the ball and as a result, Arsenal went on to score the
Bishop Auckland St. Mary's: The Under-14 junior side showed they are in top form as the climax to the season approaches with three victories last week. After winning 6-0 away to Brompton JFC in the quarter finals of the Teesside Junior Alliance League
Hutton Lowcross, Guisborough THE talk for the April meeting was billed as 'Monkish Habits', causing much discussion as to what the topic would be about. It turned out to be a very interesting and informative talk covering the daily lives of the Benedictine
Mick Channon's team exploded into life last week and the West Isley handler looks to have another likely sort in Analyze, who should give a good account in the Thank You To The Racecourse Vets Handicap over 1 miles at Newcastle today. The five-year-old
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy was taken to hospital after a three-car accident on the A1 on Sunday. The crash happened on the A1 northbound at Washington Services. He was taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Newcastle, suffering injuries caused by his
Going into the last game of the season and having already secured the League title by winning every League game so far, Richmond Town Under-12s were on the verge a rare feat. One more win would have secured a 100 per cent League record, but then rivals
STEAM engines run by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway have been replaced by diesel locomotives to prevent fires on the moor. The steam engines running between Levisham and Goathland will be temporarily replaced. A spokesman for the railway said: "Due
A record number of teams are competing in the League this season. Newcomers Northallerton third team and Raskelf second team have swelled the ranks to 53 sides in six divisions covering an area from Thirsk in the north to Ben Rhydding in West Yorkshire
A MAN was praised by firefighters yesterday after saving his female neighbour from a house blaze. Nicola Johnson, 27, of Holly Avenue, Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, lapsed into unconsciousness after breathing in smoke from the fire, which broke out at
Tyne Tees Girls Youth League - Under-12s, St Francis 2000 3 v 2 M'brough FITC: This was a game of end to end football played in good spirit, and was also a credit to girls football. The hosts played excellent football, and their performances over the
Longhorn Hardware Darlington and District League Newton Aycliffe 2 v 1 Hole in the W. Both clubs struggled to field full sides and failed to trouble either goalkeeper until a shot from the edge of the box courtesy of Nigel Gamblin put Aycliffe ahead five
Hathaway and Cope Stokesley League - M'bro St Mary's College OB 1 B&H Kings Head FC 2: Although both sides mathematically still had the chance of catching Thornaby Mandale, realistically this game was all about the runners up spot. King's Head came
HARTLEPOOL United's unbelievable season still has some way to go. That's the defiant message from boss Mike Newell as Pool go into the final two games of the campaign with the destiny of the Division Three title out of their own hands for the first time
Wear Valley Ladies League: Crook Royal Sun were able to extend their lead at the top of the table to 18 points after the second and third placed teams were beaten. Willington Brewer's Droop only collceted three points from their trip to Crook Coach and
Billingham and Sunderland Junior Ice Hockey Clubs were represented at the 2003 Hockey UK tournament in Kirkcaldy at U12 and U18 age groups. Billingham took part in both while Sunderland only at U12 level. Sunderland Cherokees were winners of the U12 event
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South Cleveland Garages Teesside League - Division One, Thornaby FC 3 v 2 Carlin How: Thornaby still have an outside chance of honours after two consecutive wins over Carlin How. Thornaby got off to a great start when Darren Bullock's quick free kick
CLEVELAND police are cracking down on cowboy builders after a number of pensioners have been duped. Langbaurgh police revealed that three lone pensioners have been targeted by con men in the last four weeks. The bogus builders have offered to carry out
Billingham Amateur Swimming Club enjoyed a fruitful day competing in a Northern Region Triathlon and Open Biathlon Competition at Queen Mary's School, Topcliffe at the weekend. The biathlon consisted of a swim and run, both distances depending on age
Brompton Juniors: Brompton Juniors Under-14s travelled to Grangefield in a match where both teams could only field ten players each due to injuries and school commitments. It was a dire first half which ended 0-0 but Grangefield eventually took the lead
Georgian Underworld: The Man Who Saved Children (C4) The event was an 18th Century version of the National Lottery, without Dale Winton. In the audience were rich people, enjoying a night out watching the desperation and distress of the poor. "Contestants
Apollo Doors Gateshead Youth League: Leaders Heworth are on course for a double in the Under-11 division after defeating Redheugh 2-1 in the cup final. Joe Robb and Craig Taylor were the scorers, while for Redheugh Jack Scott kept his side in the game
Andrew Balding has already made a favourable impression since taking over the trainers licence from his father Ian at the end of last year. As well as a couple of National Hunt winners, the Kingsclere handler has been on the mark 15 times already this
OLD Applejack, they predicted, would always be one of the also rans. Though he didn't look much of a chaser, he was among the first horses that Howard Johnson and his wife bought for their stables above Crook and much cherished as a result. Subsequently
Jenny Duncalf is celebrating another major success in her march up the international squash ladder. The 20-year-old North Yorkshire star captured the British Under-23 Championship with a sizzling performance at the National Squash Centre in Manchester
double glazing salesmen are among the tradesmen who should be banned from calling on householders unannounced, according to a report published today. The Trading Standards Institute says companies which cold-call at homes offering to carry out improvements
A NORTH-EAST Rotary Club is staging a 120-mile walk to raise money for Polio Plus. Polio Plus was launched in 1986 by Rotary International and aims to help the World Health Organisations eradicate polio. The work of Polio Plus has helped reduce incidents
A COLLEGE lecturer has appeared in court accused of trying to obtain cash using her husband's credit card. Vivian McVay, a travel and tourism lecturer at City of Sunderland Colleges, is accused of using her husband, Geoffrey's, credit card to steal £3,000
Coundon Forresters completed their hat-trick of titles on Sunday, as they picked up their third League Championship in successive seasons with a 2-1 victory at Hurworth Albion, to make it 18 victories in 18 league games this season. However, the champions
THE Mayor of Sedgefield Borough Council is hoping his two chosen charities will receive a lift thanks to the efforts of a Ferryhill man. David Robson will make a giant leap on Saturday to raise funds for St Dunstan's and the Pioneering Care Centre in
RESIDENTS are being urged to back a trading standards campaign against doorstep selling. The North Yorkshire-wide move follows a survey of more than 2,000 households recording people's views and experiences of cold calling. Almost 98 per cent of those
BRICKWORK students have proved their talent by creating a clock tower. The students from Bishop Auckland College were set the unusual task as part of their modern apprenticeship course. The design was based on a typical brickwork clock for Queen Victoria's
A SPRING cleaning session involving local children will get under way next week. Youngsters from Easington district primary and secondary schools will join members of the probation service and environmental, estate and street wardens for the clean-up,
IT started slowly enough, with reports of a mystery virus surfacing in the Guangdong province of China. At first, no one seemed to take much notice, not least the Chinese authorities, who played down fears of the start of an epidemic in their anxiety
THE people behind DLR 107 FM, the temporary local radio station which was recently on air, are celebrating after a survey of more than 500 adults showed that 30 per cent of people in Durham had heard of it. The survey also revealed that 11.7 per cent
An eight-week yoga course will be held on Tuesdays, between 10.30am and 12.30pm, at the Chester-le-Street Community Association's centre, on Newcastle Bank. The course starts on May 13, costs £24 and is aimed at beginners and improvers. For details and
A MOTORIST got behind the wheel drunk and smashed up three cars just hours after he was banned from the roads. Judge David Woods said it was a miracle that no one was injured when David Curran drove on January 21. Newcastle Crown Court heard how Curran
TWO men have pleaded guilty to affray after a fight outside a Darlington nightclub. Jerry Karamjit Singh and Noel Walecki appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday. The court heard that Singh, of Salisbury Terrace, Darlington, and Walecki, of
A POLICE force is giving suspects the chance to start afresh by revealing other crimes. Clean Slate, introduced by Northumbria Police, gives offenders the opportunity to expose all their crimes and have them dealt with at the same time. The scheme is
A STORYTELLER brought history to life yesterday when she dressed up as a centurion's wife to entertain children. At Middlesbrough's Dorman Museum,Tanya Bentham told the tale of a silly goose and helped youngsters to learn about the Romans and their gods
YOUNG skate and bike enthusiasts have pleaded with their town council to help stamp out vandalism at a skateboard park. Shildon's skateboard park committee members have told councillors vandals are making their lives a misery at the £95,000 High Five
A 71-YEAR-OLD man was taken to hospital after being struck on the head and tied up at his home by two intruders. A police spokesman said the two burglars forced their way into the man's home, in the Lamesley area of Gateshead, at 2.30am on Monday and
MUGGERS who attacked a man on his way home from a pub were last night labelled cowards by police. Two men wearing dark clothing and ski masks knocked their 49-year-old victim to the ground as he walked home from the Brunton Arms, at Marton, Middlesbrough
POLICE are appealing for help over an assault that left an elderly man bruised and shocked after he was punched by a cyclist. The 69-year-old was pushing his partner in a wheelchair at the time of the incident, on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 8, in
TWO teachers have won an award for their teaching of science. Joni White and Diane Buckle, of Framwellgate Primary School, Durham, received £100 for resources in the national Top Teacher award organised by the Ariel Stains and Science Schools Programme
Dry clean operative, Stockton. Full and part-time available. Experience in similar position desirable but training can be given. Ref: STL 37629. Sales assistant/supervisor, Stockton. £4.50ph, 40hrs pw, 5 days out of 7 between 9am and 7pm. Experience required
DOZENS of children, including five-year-old Nina Smith, above, enjoyed a day making pop-up puppet animals at Saltburn Woodland Centre yesterday. Local artists Helen Gaunt and Derek Mosey spent the afternoon providing advice in one of several workshops
A POLICE authority is backing measures to restrict officers' stop and search powers. Under a code of practice introduced nationally on April 1, police are no longer able to invite people to volunteer to undergo searches. Suspects who are stopped and questioned
A NEW board member has been appointed by the NHS Appointments Commission to join the Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust. Heather Limbach has accepted the post of non-executive director and takes up her duties with immediate effect. From Sowerby
Festival joy for region's teams FOOTBALL: North-East teams took the honours yesterday, in the opening round of games of the 16th ESFA under-14 festival at the Isle of Wight. Newcastle thumped Coventry 7-2, with goals from Eddie Dines, Lee Novak (2), Mark
COUNCILLORS are being advised to reject an application from builders to be allowed to drop plans for a picnic area by Ripon Canal. When permission was given for a developer to build three homes near Darley Lodge, Littlethorpe Road, Ripon, planning officers
A VILLAGE school has become the latest recipient of National Lottery money in Hambleton to help increase opportunities for children. St Peters Brafferton CE School in Helperby has been awarded £500 by the Awards for All scheme. The money will be used
FORMER railway worker George Flynn has spent his life on the move, and is now celebrating 20 years of giving history-themed guided walks. The pensioner has been taking walking and history enthusiasts, and residents on tours of Darlington for the past
SOLDIERS with a regiment serving in Northern Ireland have done their bit to keep the Great North Air Ambulance flying. The Green Howards' regimental headquarters is in Richmond, so when the aircraft paid a visit to the market town's castle, it was an
Fabricator, Chester-le-Street. £4.80ph dep on exp, 8am to 4.30pm, Mon-Fri. Must be experienced and able to use double mitre saw. Ref: CHM 15659. Assistant dog groomer, County Durham. £3.60 at 18; £4.20 at 22. 16-20hrs pw, between 9am and 6pm, Tues-Sat
DURHAM'S credit union will open a new collection point in the city centre next week. St Nicholas Church, in Market Place, will be open on Fridays, between 12.30pm and 2pm, from Friday, May 2. It will be the Durham City and District Credit Union's third
DISGRACED Army major Charles Ingram yesterday accused the makers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? of being "greedy". In a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, Ingram hit out bitterly, accusing Celador of a con-trick. His outburst came as
Partnership group launch PEOPLE in Darlington Borough Council's central ward are being invited to the first meeting of a partnership scheme that aims to help the community work together to access funding and support. The meeting will be on Wednesday,
A BEAUTIFUL girl, flowers in her lap, sits in silent thought beside the River Derwent that will later claim her life. The scene, from a story in William Woods's 17th Century Tales and Traditions of the Peak, was captured by County Durham artist Henry
COUNTY Durham's 18-year-olds are being urged to use their vote for the first time in next week's council elections. On Thursday, May 1, the county will go to the polls to vote for district, borough, town and parish councillors. More than 14,000 people
AFTER a life on the open road travelling between funfairs, not to mention 60 years of marriage, you may think Arthur and Kathy Newsome were due some time off. Yet it only takes a trip to Russell's fish shop and cafe, in Redcar, to find the former travellers
Thursday, April 10 I thought it was time that I cheered myself up so a few friends and I decided to go on a spending spree to Ikea. I have now had a letter from Russ. The Americans seem to have taken Baghdad and I feel happier than I have for a long time
A LANDLORD is challenging drinkers to wax lyrical about his pub to mark the birth of Shakespeare. Robert Middlemiss, from the Church Mouse pub, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, is calling on punters to put pen to paper and write a Shakespearean verse
TWO people had a lucky escape after their car left the road and burst into flames at 10pm on Monday. A man in his 20s and a 16-year-old girl, both from Doxford Park, Sunderland, were freed by firefighters and taken to the city's Royal Hospital for treatment
TO most people it is simply a garage. But to the group of residents giving it a facelift, the building represents freedom. Each of the six people painting the walls of the garage attached to a large house in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, is recovering from
Harrogate becomes the floral capital of the North tomorrow when the town's Spring Flower Show begins at the Great Yorkshire Showground. The Daffodil and Tulip societies are expected to draw big crowds from across the country, with other exhibits including
A PIONEERING scheme which has prevented the break-up of many North families has won national praise. Health bosses say the Middlesborough Addictive Behaviours Service is leading the way nationally in caring for families with parents addicted to drugs
A FIRM of chartered accountants has appointed a marketing assistant. Clive Owen & Co has made Carolyn Owers the third member of its expanding marketing department, based in the Darlington office. Her role will involve developing direct mail and telemarketing
OFFICIALS thought a charity balloon race competitor was full of hot air when he returned a reply slip - 19 months after the closing date. But then they realised the helium filled balloon had been on its travels trapped in the Jet Stream for more than
Results for Thursday, April 10 North/South: 1st A & G Young 66.67%; 2nd M Dexter & O Blenkinsopp 58.06%; 3rd K Watson & D Latner 55.28%. East/West: 1st I & J Heslop 58.33%; 2nd I Gordon & J Dobson 53.06%; 3rd A Mawston & A Race
A FREEZERMAN from the North-East may have the chance to meet Hollywood star Richard Gere - in Antarctica. Electrician Allan Thomas is working at the British Antarctic Survey's Halley Research Station, where he has spent much of Easter penguin spotting
Ex CID chief, now Mayor of Middlesbrough, Ray Mallon, intends to send street wardens, under cover, into housing estates in the town armed with secret cameras, microphones and night vision goggles to spy on hooligans and drug dealers intimidating tenants
Danielle Cable: Eyewitness (ITV1) FOR most, I suspect, the incident that became known as the M25 road rage murder will ring a few bells without any of us being able to go into detail about the case. The basic facts will be recalled - a young man was stabbed
A MAN triggered a major security alert at an airport after allegedly telling staff he had a bomb in his bag, police said yesterday. The 40-year-old was said to have made the remark to workers at Teesside Airport on Sunday, before his planned flight to
Round one, on or before May 11: 1 South North v Blackhall; 2 Horden v Wearmouth; 3 Mainsforth v Ushaw Moor; 4 Felling v Benwell Hill; 5 Whitburn v Tudhoe; 6 Marsden v Sunderland; 7 Murton v Sedgefield; 8 Leadgate v Hartlepool; 10 Crook v Burnopfield;
Walkers are invited to take part in the Durham Town Trail next month. There will be about 20 churches and buildings to visit, as well as rickshaw rides on Palace Green, during the tour, on Sunday, May 11, from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Refreshments will be served
SPENNYMOOR Thorns and Old Shildon will meet in another cup final after winning their League Cup semi-final ties last week. Old Shildon needed extra-time to see off Second Division opposition Victoria, who put up a brave fight, while Thorns beat Division
New Darlington team, the Tees Valley-Cougars played their first game at the weekend, and with just seven seconds left conceded the winning touchdown. They travelled to the Doncaster Mustangs last Sunday and took part in a nail-biting and extremely competitive
THOUSANDS of angry steelworkers lay siege to Corus plants across Europe on Monday in the face of a renewed threat to their jobs. At the Corus steel plants at Redcar, Lackenby and Hartlepool hundreds gathered with symbolic red cards for chairman Sir Brian
HUNDREDS of jobs have been safeguarded after Sainsbury's sold its Stockton Savacentre store to rival supermarket chain Tesco. All 350 full and part-time employees at the Durham Road store, which closes on June 7, will be offered jobs with Tesco. The store
THE machinery which will electronically count the votes in three council elections was unveiled yesterday. Data Research Services (DRS), which is behind the technology, demonstrated it at the Civic Centre in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, one of the
Dominoes - Division One: Football Club played 25, points 61; Wheatsheaf 25, 60; Green Tree 25, 57; Duke Wellington 25, 57; Nags Head A 25, 51; Elders A 25, 51; WMC A 25, 50; WMC C 25, 50; County Arms 25, 48; Sportsmans Club 25, 46; Masons Arms 25, 44;
Sun high in its heaven, March in a meteorological madhouse, a bloke in the middle of the cricket field is cutting the expectant square and singing "On a wonderful day like today" in a very fair tenor. Save for the corn not being as high as an elephant's
FOR decades, train travellers knew that they had reached Darlington when they caught sight of a huge thermometer that stood near Bank Top station. Today, road travellers know that they have reached Darlington town centre when they catch sight of an impressive
When the column left to put its feet up for a week, Sharon Gayter was slogging the streets of London. She still is. Sharon, it will be recalled, is the 39-year-old Teesside bus driver turned sports scientist and physiotherapist who faces the challenge
Billy Bell, among the most successful managers in North-East football - and sometimes one of the most argumentative - has died after a long illness. He was 71. Billy was also the man who nurtured the talent of the young Chris Waddle, now Britain's most
Location, Location, Location (C4), Watermelon (ITV1), Brits In Bangkok (BBC1) DECISIONS, decisions, nothing but decisions. In the comedy-drama Watermelon, Claire had to choose between two men and a baby. This was because neither seemed keen on sticking
With the sort of cricket tea which wouldn't just have fed the five thousand but sustained the entire NYSD League summer programme from that which was left over, Bishop Auckland CC continued its 150th anniversary celebrations on Saturday with a players
The race for the championship between Stokesley SC, Wolviston and Birtley Town goes on unabated. Birtley won both their mid-week matches and their rivals also collected maximum points from the one game they each played. Birtley started with a 2-1 victory
A GLOOMY note at Easter, but last week we attended two funerals, both for football men. Billy Bell was 71, carried from St Paul's church at Evenwood to the strains of Matt Monro singing Softly As I Leave You. John Challoner, just 37, was borne from an
OLD Applejack, they predicted, would always be one of the also rans. Though he didn't look much of a chaser, he was among the first horses that Howard Johnson and his wife bought for their stables above Crook and much cherished as a result. Subsequently
DOZENS of North-East prison visitors were last year banned for smuggling drugs, according to new statistics. The figures, obtained exclusively by The Northern Echo, show that 193 bans are in place in the region. Almost two-thirds were imposed at Holme
A DRUG addict killed his girlfriend with the £10 wrap of heroin he gave her for her 19th birthday. Christopher Kenning, 22, went out on April 11 last year to buy some heroin for himself and Karen Harland. After picking up two £10 wraps from 25-year-old
Mackenzie Thorpe, a painter internationally renowned and phenomenally successful, was rather less proficient at football. At raggy arsed school in Middlesbrough he'd always be the last kid to be picked for the team. Dyslexia and impaired co-ordination
40 years ago: Centre-forward Hutchinson scores both goals as Eppleby United beat Victoria Rovers 2-0 in the Darlington Church and Friendly League Division One Cup Final. Peter Robinson of Coxhoe has his loyalty to Bowburn Boys Club football team rewarded
FUTURE stars can look forward to the opening of a performing arts school this weekend. Stagecoach, which supports The Northern Echo's Positive Young People Awards, is opening its doors at Bishop Barrington School, Bishop Auckland, and will be holding
TWO men have pleaded guilty to affray after a fight outside a Darlington nightclub. Jerry Karamjit Singh and Noel Walecki appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday. The court heard that Singh, of Salisbury Terrace, Darlington, and Walecki, of
A MOTORCYCLIST died yesterday when he was involved in a collision with a car. The accident, on the B6451 at Norwood Mast, west of Harrogate, happened at 1.20pm. Police said the rider of a red and white Honda CBR Fireblade travelling towards the A59 lost
YOUNGSTERS in the Hambleton district are being urged to put pen to paper this Easter. The district council's housing team want children to enter a competition that will help to promote the homelessness service. Children are being encouraged to design
VINCE WELLS has vowed to instill a winning mentality into Durham as the county look to shed the unwanted tag of the worst team in the County Championship. Wells, signed over the winter from Leicestershire, will be an integral member of a Durham side that
AN incentive scheme is helping people shed excess weight in Trimdon. The programme, funded by Sedgefield Primary Care Trust and the Northern Rock Foundation, is part of a wider health project in the village aimed at reducing the numbers of cancer and
A RELIC of Newcastle's engineering past is to join a collection at Beamish. A steam turbo-generator has been donated to the Discovery Museum in Newcastle by Northumbria University's School of Engineering and Technology. It was bought by the university
RARE amphibians which have made their home on a Darlington estate have been counted by an ecologist. Some great crested newt families, a protected species, have spawned in a pond where houses once stood on the Firthmoor estate. Last week, ecologist Tony
ONE of the North-East's top policemen has called for heroin addicts to be prescribed the drug to eradicate the threat of dealers. The newly-appointed Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Sean Price, yesterday announced plans to discuss the policy with
COUNTY Durham's 18-year-olds are being urged to use their vote for the first time in next week's council elections. On Thursday, May 1, the county will go to the polls to vote for district, borough, town and parish councillors. More than 14,000 young
MORE than 2,000 voters are getting new ballot papers in the next few days after a council mix-up over a new postal poll was discovered days before elections next week. Wear Valley District Council has apologised to votors in Wolsingham for a mistake in
MORE than 60 cabbies brought Darlington to a halt yesterday as they paid their last respects to the founder of one of the town's taxi companies. A long line of taxis followed the funeral cortege of Bob Ibbotson, who set up ABC Taxis, as it made its way
A BANKRUPT former millionaire is appealing to the Inland Revenue to wipe the slate clean. Ted Winter, 66, faces accumulated tax arrears of £250,000 stemming from a fire which destroyed his Queen's Hotel, in Stockton, in 1980. Judge Hannah imposed a 12
SIR BOBBY ROBSON insists Craig Bellamy is on his best behaviour as Newcastle United weigh up whether to appeal against the one-match ban meted out to the Welshman yesterday by an FA disciplinary hearing. Bellamy's improved domestic disciplinary record
IT is ten years to the day since Sadie the greyhound became the first abandoned dog to be taken in by a North-East animal charity. Since then, the National Canine Defence League (NCDL), at Sadberge, near Darlington, has found loving families for more
DETECTIVES are hoping the actions of a pensioner who refused to open her door to a trickster will serve as an inspiration to others. Margaret Martin, of South Bank, was targeted by a lone female who knocked on her door. The girl asked Mrs Martin if she
HUNDREDS of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims marched to an Iraqi holy shrine yesterday to mark the death of one of their most revered saints, chanting, swaying, even cutting their bodies in an emotional ritual that had been banned for decades under Saddam
Consett Sunday League: Stanley Towneley Arms are on the verge of creating league history. No side from Stanley has ever lifted the championship but, the Towneley Arms are now well in contention after a string of outstanding results, highlighted by a crushing
THE closure of court houses is causing concern for coroners who are facing increasing difficulty finding suitable venues to hold inquests. North Yorkshire has already seen ten of its court houses close in the last seven years and a question mark hangs
BEREAVED relatives of four men killed when they fell from a motorway bridge have been awarded £1.3m compensation between them by the firms responsible for the tragedy. A judge at Bristol Crown Court approved the deal involving Darlington engineering group
THE new High Sheriff of North Yorkshire can safely claim to be a genuine high flyer. Air Commodore Simon Bostock became the first military man to hold the position when he was sworn in at a ceremony in York Crown Court. The retired RAF staff officer is
Poison pen letter writer James Forster was condemned by a judge for "destroying the fabric" of the village he terrorised for more than a decade. But the pensioner, who waged a hate-mail campaign against his neighbours, has now found himself on the receiving
Spennymoor A put one hand on the Championship Trophy when they beat the visiting Brandon by the odd point to go into the final match of the season with a three-point lead over Old Shildon. The Moors took the first three frames of their home match with
A 48-YEAR-OLD man has admitted three charges of indecent assault on a young girl. Michael Hall, of Cairngorm Avenue, Washington, pleaded guilty to the assaults, on a girl under 16, between January 1995 and October 1997. He was bailed to appear before
The weekend's biggest carp bag came off Raker Lakes Wheldrake where there was plenty of action seeing the top trio weighing in over 172lbs of fish. Lower Wharfe Angling's Dave Geldart set the ball rolling. Drawn on end peg 30 he recorded a cracking 64.12.0
IF one suspected Manchester United had shed their inferiority complex about Real Madrid, Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane's comments last night banished such thoughts. "We want Real to know they've been in a game," they both said, as if the result was
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US officials sought to discredit the United Nations' weapons inspectors in the period ahead of the outbreak of war against Iraq, chief investigator Dr Hans Blix claimed yesterday. Dr Blix also argued that the US and UK had relied on "shaky" intelligence
THERE was laughter amid the chants at the mass protests outside Corus' Redcar works. Tight family groups mingled with steelmen in work clothes and it was children with whistles who were making the most noise. This was no angry picket during a long-running
CHILDREN have the chance to clown around and get fit at the same time during a family fun run next month. The run and fun day for all the family has been organised by Sure Start for Sunday, May 18, from 11am to 3pm. Jan Croudace of Sure Start donned her
VILLAGERS are preparing for the opening of a play area, that will become a focal point for their community. The completion of the £120,000 Park House play area, in Lanchester, is the culmination of four years of hard work and fundraising by parents -
Crook League: Ithe top of the table clash Crook Royal Sun Inn went down by three points to the visiting leaders, Crook Belle Vue, who increased their lead to four points over Crook Mill House, who moved up into second place following their home win over
AN Army sergeant smuggled a 13-year-old girl into his barracks for Saturday afternoon sex sessions, a court was told yesterday. The teenager's father found a bundle of letters in her bedroom from the married gunner, which ended up in police hands, the
Spennymoor Black & Decker kept their championship hopes alive when they won 3-2 at Durham Victoria Bridge. They were 2-0 in front at the break, Michael Hodgson and Ralph Petigean both heading in from close range. Black & Decker increased the lead
A TEENAGE girl driver and one of her passengers were recovering in hospital yesterday after a car hit a wall on an isolated country road. The 17-year-old's red Peugeot 106 failed to negotiate a bend on the C30 road between Wolsingham and Hamsterley, County
VANDALS are cutting the heads off daffodils with scissors before displaying them in elaborate patterns on lawns in Guisborough. The problem began three weeks ago and is now widespread across the town with incidents occurring every few days. One resident
